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Alabama Soccer Travels to Florida for Pair of Road Matches
8/31/2016 12:19:00 PM | Soccer
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama soccer team will travel to the state of Florida for a pair of road games over the next three days. The Crimson Tide will begin its trip in Tampa, Fla., on Thursday, Sept. 1, as it faces No. 20 South Florida at 6 p.m. CT, before heading to Fort Meyers, Fla., on Sunday, Sept. 4, to take on Florida Gulf Coast for a noon CT kickoff.
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CONTINUING THE STRONG START
Alabama's first two matches to begin the 2016 campaign were a pair of convincing victories over Sam Houston State, 5-0, and Murray State, 4-2. The Tide followed the early wins with shutouts of Campbell, 4-0, and Chattanooga, 1-0, last weekend to improve to 4-0 overall on the young season. The four wins to start a 2016 campaign marks only the second time in 15 years that the Tide has won at least four games to begin a season (5-0 in 2012), and its 14 goals scored is the most goals scored through the first four games since the 2012 season (16). Those same 14 goals scored through the first four matches to start a campaign rank fifth all-time in program history for the most goals scored across that span. Last year, Alabama scored only scored two goals through its first four games and did not score its 14th goal of the season until the Tide's 17th contest of the year on Oct. 23 against Missouri. The Tide's defensive presence has been equally as important as the high-paced offense, as Alabama has recorded three shutouts. Alabama tallied six shutouts all of last season, and its three shutouts through the first four game marks the first time a UA team has done that since the 2012 season.
BOSWELL/CLARIDA COMBO
Alabama's high-octane offense has earned national notoriety, as it has two student-athletes that are ranked first and second, respectively, in the country in three major offensive categories. Sophomore Abbie Boswell ranks first in the nation in total assist (5), while junior Lacey Clarida ranks first in game-winning goals (3) and second in total goals scored (6). Boswell is also seeded eighth in assists per game (1.25), while Clarida is seventh in the NCAA in goals per game (1.5). The two are ranked in the top-10 in total points, as Clarida claims third (13.0) and Boswell anchors the 10th spot on that list (11.0).
LEADING THE NATION
Through the first two weekends of play, Alabama has climbed the charts ranking in the top-10 in four major offensive categories. The Tide is ranked fourth in shots per game, as it is averaging 26.5. Alabama is sixth in total goals and total points with 14 and 40, respectively. In the total assists column, the Tide is eighth nationally, compiling 12 so far this season.
LEADING THE SEC
Alabama leads the Southeastern Conference in six offensive and two defensive categories after just two weekends of play. The Tide's offense leads the league in shots (106), goals (14), assists (12), points (40), goals per game (3.50) and assists per game (3.0). Alabama also leads the conference in shutouts (3) and goals allowed (2). Clarida and Boswell lead the league in game-winning goals (3) and assists (5), respectively. Boswell also leads the SEC in assists per game (1.25), while Clarida is second in points (13), points per game (3.25), goals (6) and goals per game (1.50). Alabama has compiled 33 corner kicks, which ties for third with Texas A&M and South Carolina. Â Â
UNDER HEAD COACH WES HART
The Crimson Tide is in its second year under the guidance of head coach Wes Hart. Hart's inaugural season had a major focus on transition and the future of the program. Highlights from his inaugural season included Hart's first win as a head coach that came in the home opener against Troy (Aug. 23, 2015), handing Wake Forest its first shutout of the year (Aug. 28, 2015), giving LSU its first loss of the season (Sept. 11, 2015) in the 3-2 double-overtime, comeback win and a hard-fought double-overtime win at Georgia (Oct. 16, 2016), which marked Hart's first road win.
Home game attendance increased significantly in Hart's first season, as the Tide drew over 719 fans per game – the largest average since the 2012 season. The Alabama Soccer Complex saw a crowd of 1,575 for its first game against Troy (Aug. 23, 2015), the second-highest single-game home attendance in program history. Fans then answered the call to keep attendance in quadruple digits later that week against Wake Forest (Aug. 28, 2015), when 1,007 fans packed the Soccer Complex.
The 5-0 victory this season against Sam Houston State marks Hart's first win in a season opener with the Tide. So far in Hart's second campaign, the Tide has outshot its opponents by an impressive 106-23 margin and has compiled 14 goals compared to the opponents two. Alabama has tallied 12 assists and limited its opponents to one, while picking up 40 total points as opposed to its opponents five thus far. The Tide also dominates the corner kick category, where it has a substantial lead on the opposition, 33-4. With both of last weekend's shutouts, Hart has registered nine shutouts since he arrived to Tuscaloosa.
SERIES HISTORY – SOUTH FLORIDA (USF)
Thursday's match against the No. 20 USF Bulls will mark the first time in program history that the two teams will face each other. The Bulls finished last season with an overall 15-4-3 record. Last weekend, USF outlasted the Kentucky Wildcats, 3-2, before blanking Massachusetts, 3-0. USF enters Thursday's game with a 4-0 record.Â
SERIES HISTORY – FLORIDA GULF COAST (FGCU)
When Alabama takes on the FGCU Eagles on Sunday it will mark the first time in program history the two team have faced each other. The Eagles finished last year's campaign with an overall 14-6-2 record. FGCU fell short to No. 21 Ohio State in a 1-0 decision last weekend.
COMING UP
Alabama will begin conference play next Friday, Sept. 9, when it travels to Knoxville to take on Tennessee at 6 p.m. CT. Next Tuesday, Sept. 13, the Tide will finish the non-conference portion of its schedule, as it travels to Birmingham, Ala., to face Samford at 7 p.m. CT.
Get all the latest information on the team by following AlabamaSoccer on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
